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The Skin Conductance Algesimeter Validated with the Numerical Rating Scale Postoperatively in Patients Treated with Classical Music

Abstract

Rocco Rago, Paolo Miccoli, Hanna Storm, Francesco Forfori, Francesca Franceschini, Jacopo Belfiore and Francesco Giunta

Background: An inadequate estimation and management of perioperative pain may delay patient recovery and discharge from hospital. For this reason, increasing effort has been put on the identification of both new approaches for pain monitoring and new procedures to reduce pain perception, especially in perioperative patient care: the aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the skin conductance algesimeter index - number of skin conductance fluctuations (NSCF) per second -, as compared to the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), in perioperative pain monitoring of thyroidectomy patients. Moreover, in the same patients, we investigated the effect of classical music listening on pain perception during the postoperative period.

Methods: Forty patients scheduled for surgical thyroidectomy were randomized into two groups with partially different postoperative managements: Group C (Control) received the traditional treatment, while Group S (Study) had classical music in addition to the traditional treatment. In both groups, the postoperative pain levels were assessed using NSCF per second, NRS and self-administrated analgesic drug consumption.

Results: The C and S groups were characterized by similar levels of pain as measured by NRS and NSCF per second. The S group used less morphine than the C group (0.3 mg vs 1.1 mg; P<0.01). We also observed a significant correlation between NRS and NSCF per second when 30 minute time intervals between measurements were used (R=0.69, P<0.01). On the other hand no correlation was observed when moment-by-moment measurements were used. Both the NRS and NSCF per second decreased significantly during the postoperative period.

Conclusion: The NRS and NSCF per second performed similarly for pain assessment in the postoperative period. Classical music listening in addition to traditional treatment reduced the morphine consumption without clearly influencing the pain level as measured by NRS and NSCF per second.